


what's in a name

by carefulren



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Breaking Code Names, Hidden Feelings, M/M, Worry, but that may be a little not so great lol, first names, i really wanna title this call me by your name
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-23
Updated: 2020-02-23
Packaged: 2021-02-28 04:28:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 938
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22857751
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/carefulren/pseuds/carefulren
Summary: prompt: “Hey, you’re starting to scare me.” persona 5 shuake maybe? Maybe with goro and akira calling each other by first names for the first time when breaking codename out of worry.(also known as the one where worry makes you do stupid things)
Relationships: Akechi Goro/Kurusu Akira, Akechi Goro/Persona 5 Protagonist
Comments: 7
Kudos: 89





	what's in a name

Akechi’s feet are pounding hard against the ground, echoing against the bare , cracking Mementos walls as he puffs out quick, shallow breaths. He didn’t mean to get separated from the others, not when he’s only been with the Phantom Thieves for a short while, but he got cornered by an Oberon, its large wings trapping him, so he shouted for the others to board Morgana’s bus, that he would catch up, but Joker hesitated, and the image of his masked, narrow eyes burns a hole in Akechi’s mind.

Fighting off the Oberon alone wasn’t exactly easy, but he’s fine, a little bruised up, but still in one piece. Running with the bruises littering his side is less than ideal by any means, but constant motion is necessary in Mementos, and he wants nothing more than to meet back with the others, to once again regain his careful eye on Joker.

Just as he didn’t mean to get separated from the group, he also hasn’t meant to fall for the leader of the Phantom Thieves. It started as this little, nagging feeling, a small idea that kept popping in his head at odd times, when Akira laughed at something while they were waiting to hop on the subway, when Akira made fun of him for his dedicated studies, when Akira would shoot him that dreaded side-ways smile that, to this day, makes his heart flip in his chest around too-fast heart beats.

That feeling, that small nuisance of a feeling, started to bud, blossoming almost over night, yet he can’t pursue his heart’s desire, not like this, so he’s been keeping this to himself, finding that’s the best course of action because it opens time to sift through his feelings, to organize them by varying levels of importance.

He’s lost in his thoughts as he runs, hoping only that Akira’s okay, that he’s still standing, still smiling, still leading. He rounds a corner, too far gone in his mind to hear the shouting in his ear, but he skids to a stop, coming face-to-face with the others just as Akira shouts loudly in his ear.

_“Goro, talk to me! You’re starting to scare me!”_

Their eyes meet, both masked yet both still heavy and narrow with a river of emotions passing over the two. Akechi’s panting, from running, from the sudden use of his name, his first name, not his code-name. He frowns, tilting his head slightly. He wants to chide Akira for the carelessness of breaking code-name because that’s what everyone would expect him to do, but a shadow suddenly creeping up from behind Akira begins to twist and jerk, morphing from a black haze to a King Frost who has eyes only for his leader, and Akechi starts forward, one hand raised.

“Akira!”

The next few moments move so fast that they feel almost slow. Akira’s hit, but he’s quick to bounce back, and he, Makoto, and Ryuji take on the King Frost, with Akechi seemingly trapped in his spot, hand still raised, still leaning forward, frozen against time itself.

They take out the King Frost, and Akechi blinks slowly when there’s suddenly a mass of black, white, and red whipping toward him, and he’s slow to drop his hand to his side, mouth opening and closing, struggling for the right words as Akira pats hands down his body, checking for injuries.

“Are you okay?”

Akechi wants to laugh because he wasn’t the one who was hit square-on by a King Frost, but he only manages out a strangled huff that’s got Akira lifting his mask, eyes truly reflecting the concern painted across his face.

“Ake–”

The gears in Akechi’s mind jolt back to a quick spin that’s got him cutting Akira off by lifting one hand to pull Akira’s mask back over his eyes. “Code-names only,” Akechi mutters, stepping back, increasing the distance between the two out of fear that Akira will hear how loudly his heart is hammering in his chest.

“I could tell you the same thing.”

“You were completely blind to a sudden ambush!” Akechi huffs out, gesturing past Akira to where the others are, where they just fought off the King Frost.

“And you were _separated_ from us and not answering the comm!”

Akechi’s quick to catch onto the cracking stress coating Akira’s tone, and he sighs softly. “Sorry. I’m fine.” He watches the tension bleed from Akira’s shoulders, so visibly that he’s sure the others noticed. He shifts a slow gaze to see Ryuji frowning at the two before spinning on his heel.

“Yo, Joker, can we call it a night?”

Akira doesn’t break Akechi’s gaze when he calls out a quick “yes,” he holds it, and Akechi kind of wants the ground to swallow him whole right this very second, it’s that or he has a heart-attack right where he’s standing. There’s something about Akira’s stare. He doesn’t look at you or through you, he looks in you, reads you like an open book, and Akechi hates it, not wishing to be on the opposite end of such a conflicting gaze.

Without warning, Akira suddenly breaks the gaze and turns back to the bus, and Akechi follows after him, stopping when Akira looks over his shoulder and twists his lips into the signature half-smile that’s going to be the death of Akechi.

“I’m glad you’re okay.”

Akechi can only nod, words refusing to meet his tongue, but when Akira turns back to the front, his muscles go rigid under the pressure of a rapid heart, and he mutters a quiet “shit,” under his breath as he steps onto the bus. 

**Author's Note:**

> Come say hi or drop a prompt off on tumblr! @toosicktoocare :)


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